Well tool apparatus



Aug.13,1957 R.C. BAKER Y 2,802,533

' WELL TOOL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 13, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 REUBEN C.34x52,

INVENTOR.

WELL T L APPARATUS Reuben C. Baker, Coaliuga, Califl, assignor to BakerOil Tools, lne, Los Angelles, Calif a corporation of (ZahtorniaApplication December 13, 1952, Serial No. 325,867 12 Claims. (Cl.166-424) The present invention relates to well equipment, and moreparticularly to tools adapted to be run and operated in well bores.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus forsetting or anchoring a well tool, such as a well packer in a well bore.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the time required insetting a well tool, such as a well packer, in a well casing, or similarwell conduit.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanical apparatusoperable from the top of the well bore, to release positively a set ofnormally retracted slips and efiect their outward expansion against thewall of a well conduit.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of a formin which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawingsaccompanying and forming part of the present specification. It will nowbe described in detail, for the purpose of illus trating the generalprinciples of the invention; but it is to be understood that suchdetailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since thescope ofthe invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, with parts shown in elevation, of awell apparatus disposed within a well cas- Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary longitudinal section of a portion of the apparatus shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the apparatus, similar to Fig. 1, with partsoccupying a different relative position;

Fig. 4 is a view of the apparatus, similar to Fig. 1, disclosing partsof the apparatus in still another relative position;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken along the line 5-5 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken along the line 6-6 on Fig. 2.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings as applicable to a wellpacker A that is to be run in a well casing B, or similar well conduit,on a tubular string C, and which is to be anchored in packed-offcondition within the well casing by appropriate manipulation of asetting tool or device D carried by the tubular string, which actuallyforms part of the setting device. The well packer A disclosed may be ofany suitable construction, the one specifically shown being of the typedescribed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,121,050.

Essentially, the packer A consists of a tubular body 10 to which thesetting tool D is detachably secured. The body has a packing sleeve 11surrounding it, the upper and lower ends of the latter being suitablysecured to upper and lower conical expanders 12, 13, respectively,attached to the body initially by one or more shear screws 14, 15. Theouter surface 16 of the upper expander tapers upwardly and inwardly,engagingcorrespondinglytapered upper segmental slips 17, which aresecured to it initially in retracted position by shear screws 18. In

gaging correspondingly tapered lower segmental slips 20 secured to thelower expander 13 initially in retracted position by shear screws 21.The lower end of the body 10 is provided with a lower abutment 22 in theform of an outwardly directed flange for engagement with the lower endof the lower segmental slips 20.

A valve housing and guide 23 is secured to the lower end of the body 10;This housing contains a back pressure ball valve 24, preferably buoyantin cement slurry, which is originally prevented from engaging itscompanion valve seat 25 at the lower portion of the body by a retainerarm 26 holding the ball against the housing to one side of the centralpassage 27 through the body. The arm 26 extends upwardly from a tripball seat 28 secured initially in the lower end of the valve housing bya suitable shear screw 29.

The shear screws 18 holding the upper slips 17 to the upper expander 12have a lesser shear value than the screws 14 holding the upper expander12 to the body 10. The shear screws 15, 21 securing the lower expander13 to the body 10 and the lower slips 20 to the expander 13 have agreater shear value than the shear screws 14 securing the upper expander12 to the body. The relative strengths of the various shear screws areselected, in order that the upper slips 17 may first be released fromtheir normally retracted positions through disruption of the slip screws18, to enable the upper slips 17 toexpand outwardly against the wellcasing B. Thereafter, the shear screws 14 attaching the upper expander12 to the body 10 are disrupted, whereupon the remaining lower screws15, 21 are disrupted, all in the manner hereinafter described.

The upper end of the packer body 10 is provided with a left-handthreaded'box 30 receiving acompanion lefthand threaded pin portion 31 ofa sub 32 which is, in

turn, threadedly secured to the tubular mandrel portion 32 actuallyconstitute part of the setting device for shearing the upper slip screws18 and efiecting the downward movement of the upper slips 17 along theupper expander 12 and radially outward into anchoring engagement withthe wall of the well casing. To accomplish this purpose, a downwardforce is imposed on the upper slips 17 and an upward force is imposedupon the packer body 10. That is to say, the packer body 10 and theslips 17 are urged in opposite directions in obtaining the outwardexpansion of the upper slips along their companion cone 12 and radiallyinto engagement with the wall of the well casing B.

The setting tool D includes a setting sleeve 34, the lower end of whichmay be caused to bear upon the upper end of the upper slips 17. Thissetting sleeve has an upper threaded box 35 adjustably and threadedlymounted on the lower threaded end 36 of a lower thrust member or sleeve37 slidable along the tubular mandrel 33. This lower thrust member andsleeve is secured to an upper thrust member or sleeve 38 by means of aswivel connection 39, in order that the lower thrust member or sleeve 37and the setting sleeve 34 may rotate, in the manner described below,without any requirement for the upper thrust member or sleeve 38 torotate.

As specifically shown, the swivel connection includes an outer sleeve 40threaded on the lower thrust member 37 and having an upper inturnedflange 41 disposed upon an outer shoulder 42 provided on the upperthrust member 38. The engagement of the flange 41 with the outershoulder 42 prevents separating movement between the member 38 withrollable thrust elements 44, in the form of balls, that are disposedwithin the outer sleeve 40, and which also surround a portion 45projecting upwardly from the lower thrust-member 37 within a counterborer, r T "52,802,533 A or "f" v 46 provided within the upper thrust member38. Longitudinally directed forces between the upper ,and; lower thrustmembers 38, 37 are transmitted between the;lower end 43 of the upperthrust member, through the ball elements 44, to an opposed outershoulder 47.formed at the upper portion ofthe lower thrust member 37. t

The upper thrust member 38 is securedinitiallyto the tubular member 33by a left-hand threaded connection. Thus, the upper thrust member isprovided with a lefthand female threaded portion 48 engaginga companionmale threaded portion149 formed on a two-part or split sleeve 50surroundingthe mandrel 33 and disposed within a groove 51 in the latter.The sleeve 50 is made in split,

or two-part, form to facilitate its disposition around the mandrel 33and within the groove. 51, after which the segments of the sleeve 50 aresecured to the mandrel, as by the aid of welding material 52. Thelongitudinal extent of the threaded engagement 49, 48 between the sleeve50 and the upper thrust member 38 need not be very great, merely beingsufficient to effect relative downward movement of the thrust members38, 37 and setting sleeve 34 to shear the top slip screws 18. Because ofthe lefthand threaded connection 48, 49, rotation of the mandrel 33 in aright-hand direction, or clockwise, as seen from the top of the wellbore, will produce downward feeding of the upper thrust member 38 alongthe mandrel 33, and, through the thrust balls'44, will transmit itsmotion to the lower thrust member 37 and setting sleeve 34 for actionupon the upper set of slips 17. This longitudinal movement of the thrustmembers and sleeves along the mandrel can occur as a result ofpreventing rotation of the upper thrust member.

Rotation of the upper thrust member 38 is prevented by a drag device 55bearing against the wall of the well casing B. This drag device includeslongitudinally spaced upper and lower collars 56, 57 slidable on themandrel 33. Longitudinally extending, outwardly bowed springs 58 aresecured to both collars, as by means of upper and lower, retaining rings59, 60 attached to the collars in any suitable manner, as through use ofthe screws 61. The medial portions of the springs 58 frictionally engagethe wall of the well casing B and tend to resist movement of the dragsprings andthe collars 56, 57 attached thereto, as well as the retainerrings 59, 60. The resistance to movement offered by the outwardly bowedsprings 58 is transmitted to the upperthrust member 38 through a pin andslot connection.

As disclosed, the lower retainer ring 60 has a' depending skirt 65integral therewith, which is telescoped, over an upwardly extendingportion 66 of the upper thrust member 38, which is provided with a pairof diametrically opposite, longitudinally extending slots 67. Pins 68are secured to the depending skirt 65 and are received within theseslots. Because of the pin and slot connection. 67, 68, the restraint tomovement of the lower retaining ring 60 and its depending skirt 65,provided by the springs 58, is transferred to the upper thrust member38, enabling the tubular mandrel 33 and its left-hand threaded member tobe rotated within the upper thrust member 38, for the purpose of feedingthe latter in a downward direction. The downward movement of the upperthrust member 38, however, is not resisted by the drag device 55, inview of the elongate slots 67 provided in the upper thrust member, andthe ability of the latter to slide downwardly along the pins 68 attachedto the depending skirt 65.

The well packer A is secured to the lower sub 32 of the settingapparatus, in the, manner disclosed in Fig. 1, the

alone. members 37, 38 provide additional weight for forcing the settingsleeve 34 being turned on the lower thrust member 37 until it justengages the upper end of the upper slips 17, whereupon the settingsleeve may be locked to the lower thrust member, as by use of a setscrew 70 threaded transversely in the upper end of the setting sleeve 34and bearing against the lower thrust member 37. The segmental sleeve 50on the mandrel 33 is threaded to its full extent within the upper thrustmember38, as determined by engagement of its lower end with an innershoulder 71 formed on the upper thrust member. The assembly is then rundownwardly through the well casing B, the friction drag springs 58sliding along the well casing wall, the drag assembly being pulledthrough the well casing by the engagement of the upper portion of thesleeve 66 defining the slots 67 with the pins 68.

When the location in the well casing B is reached at which the wellpacker A is to be anchored in packed-01f condition therein, all thatneed be done is to rotate the mandrel 33, as in a right-hand direction.Such rotation will also rotate the segmental sleeve 50, as well as thesub 32 and the entire packer apparatus A. Since the setting sleeve 34 isbearing against the upper slips 17, it is quite possiblethat it, as wellas the lower thrust member 37 secured thereto, and the outer sleeve 40,willalso be rotated. But such rotation can readily occur withoutcorresponding rotation of the upper thrust member 38, because of theswivel connection 39 provided between the upper and lower thrust members38, 37. The upper thrust member 38, as stated above, will be preventedfrom rotating by the drag device 55 and the pin and slot connection 67,68. As a result of rotation of the sleeve 50, and the fact that the dragdevice 55 prevents rotation of the upper thrust member 38, the latter isfed downwardly along the mandrel 33, its downward force beingtransmitted through the lower thrust member 37 and setting sleeve 34 tothe upper slips 17, the force being sufficient to shear the top slipscrews 18, which allows the latter to drop downwardly along the cone 12and outwardly into anchoring engagement with the wall of the well casingB (Fig. 3).

Following disruption of the top slip screws 18, it is only necessary torotate the mandrel 33 a few revolutions to a further extent tocompletely unscrew the segmental sleeve 50 from the female threadedportion 48 of the upper thrust member 38. When this complete unscrewingtakes place, then the settingsleeve 34 and thrust members 37, 38 candrop downwardly, which will force the upper slips 17 downwardly alongthe. upper expander cone 12, in the event they have not dropped downtherealong to their full extent under the influence of gravity In otherwords, the setting sleeve 34 and the thrust upper slips 17 down alongthe expander cone 12 and radially outward into anchoring engagement withthe wall of the well casing.

After the upper slips 17 have been engaged with the well casing B, thetubular string C and its mandrel 33 are moved longitudinally upward andwithout rotation, this upward motion being transmitted through the sub32 to the packer body 10. When the upward force is suflicient, it willshear the screws 14 securing the upper expander 12 to the packer body10, and will I? the lower slips 20 and lower expander 13 with the bodytoward the upper expander 12, thereby foreshortening the packing sleeve11 and expanding it radially outward into sealing engagement with thewall of the well casing B. A continuation of the upward strain on thetubular string C, sub 32 and body 10 will then shear the screws 15, 21securing the lower expanderliq to the body and the lower slips 20 to thelower expander, the lower slips being shifted upwardly along the lowerexpander 13 and radially outward into anchoring engagement with'the v.all of the well casing. i V A sufficient upward astraintisnormally'taken on the tubular string Qand body 10 to insure the firmengagement of both the upper and lower slips 17, with the wall of thewell casing and the firm sealing engagement of the packing sleevell-with the periphery of the body 10 and the well casing. The packerparts are held in their expanded positions by a suitable one-way lockdevice, which may consist of a ratchetring 80 carried by the upperexpander 12 and engaging companion ratchet teeth 31 formed in theperiphery of the body. The ratchet teeth 81 and ring 80 are so arrangedas to permit the body it) to move upwardly within the upper expander 12for the purpose of fully setting the well packer, but' they will lockthe body'lil to the upper expander 12, in the event the body tends tomove downwardly there within.

After the packer has been securely anchored in packedon condition withinthe well casing, a suitable tripping ball 32 (see Fig. 3) can be droppeddown the tubular string C, for the purpose of engaging the trip ballseat 28, whereupon pressure can be built up in the tubular string C andpacker passage 27 to shear the screw 29 holding the trip ball seat 28 tothe valve housing 23, ejecting the trip ball seat and retainer arm 26from the housing 23, which frees the back pressure ball valve element 24and allows it to moveupwardly into engagement with its companion seat(Fig. 4).

After the foregoing actions have taken place, the tubular string C canthen be rotated to the right. The packer body 10 is prevented fromrotating by engagement of the upper and lower slips 17, 20 with the wellcasing, causing the lower sub 32 to rotate within the packer body 10 andaccomplish its complete unscrewing from the packer body by theunthreading of the pin 31 from the box 36 Upward movement of the sub 32causes its upper end 32a to engage the lower end 370 of the lower thrustmember 37 (Fig. 4), causing the entire setting tool to'be elevated withthe tubular string C and its mandrel 33 to the top of the well bore,leaving the packer Aanchored in the well casing B.

Various operations can be performed with the apparatus once the packer Ahas been set in the well casing B. As an example, cement slurry, orother cementitious material, may be pumped down the tubular string Cprior to disconnection of its sub 32 from the well packer 10,

for outward passage through the well packer at its lower end. After therequired amount of cementitious material has been displaced through thewell packer, the pressure within the tubular string C can be relieved,allowing the back pressure valve 24 to engage its seat 25 and precludereturn flow of the cement slurry through the well packer A. Thereafter,the tubular string C can be rotated, to disconnect the sub 32 from theupper end of the packer body 10, allowing the tubular string C and theentire setting tool D to be withdrawn from the well casing B.

The inventor claims:

1. In well apparatus: a well device having a body and normally retractedmeans on said body adapted to be expanded laterally outward intoengagement with the wall of a well conduit; a setting tool connected tosaid body, said tool including a member attached to the body to rotatetherewith, means on the member engageable with said normally retractedmeans to exert a force thereon to "expand said normallyretracted meansoutwardly, said means being removable from said normally retracted meansafter expansion of said normally retracted means, friction drag meansengageable with the wall of the well conduit and connected to saidexpanding means to resist movement of said expanding means in the wellconduit, coengaging threads on said member and expanding means forfeeding said expanding means longitudinally with respect to said bodywhereby said expanding means exerts: a force on said normally retractedmeans to expand said normally retracted means outwardly during rotationof said member relative to said expanding means, said threads becomingdisengaged upon predetermined rotation of said member relative to saidexpanding means to permit non-rotary 1 6 l longitudinal movement of saidmember relative to said expanding means; and means on: said member.engageable with said expanding means, after said threads are disengaged,to remove said expanding means from said normally retracted means. i

2. In well apparatus: a well device having a body and normally retractedmeans on said body adapted to be expanded laterally outward .intoengagement with the wall of a well conduit; a setting tool connected tosaid body, said tool including a member attached to the body to rotatetherewith, means on the member engageable with saidnormally retractedmeans to exert a force thereon to expand said normally retracted meansoutwardly, said means being removable from said normally retracted meansafter expansion of said normally retracted means, friction dragmeansengageable with the wall of the Well conduit and connected to saidexpanding means to resist movement of saidexpanding means in the wellconduit, axial cam means interconnecting said member and expanding meansfor feeding saidexpanding means longitudinally with respect to said bodywhereby said expanding i means exerts a force on said normally retractedmeans to expand said normally retracted means outwardly duringrotationof said member. relative to said expanding means, said cam.rneans becoming disengaged upon predetermined rotation of said memberrelative to said expanding meansto permit non-rotary longitudinalmovement of said member relative [to said expanding means; and means onsaid member engageable with said expanding means, after saidcam meansare disengaged, to remove said expanding'means from said normallyretracted means.

3. In'well apparatus: a well device having normally retracted meansadapted to be expanded laterally outward into engagement with the walleta well conduit, a setting tool connected to said W811 device, said toolincluding a member attached to the well device, means on the memberengageable with said normally retracted means to exert a force thereonto expand said normally retracted means outwardly, 'friction drag meansengageable with the wall of the well conduit, a lost motion connectionbetween said friction drag means and expanding means to resist rotationof said expanding means in the .Well conduit while permittinglongitudinal movement of said expanding means relative to said frictiondrag means, and coengaging threads on said member and expanding meansfor feeding said expanding means longitudinally whereby said expandingmeans exerts a force on said normally retracted means to expand saidnormally retracted means outwardly upon rotation of said member.

4. In well apparatus: a well device having normally retracted meansadapted to be expanded laterally outward into engagement with the wallof a well conduit, a setting tool connected to said well device, saidtool including a member attached to the well device, means on the memberengageable with said normally retracted means to exert a force thereonto expand said normally retracted means outwardly, friction drag meansengageable with the wall of the'well conduit, a lost motion connectionbetween said friction drag means and expanding means to resist rotationof said expanding means in the Well conduit while permittinglongitudinal movement of said expanding means relative to said frictiondrag means, and axial cam means interconnecting said member andexpanding meansfor feeding said expanding means longitudinally wherebysaid expanding means exerts a force on said normally retracted means toexpand said normally retracted means outwardly upon rotation of saidmember.

5. In well apparatus: a well device having normally retracted meansadapted to be expanded laterally outward into engagement with the wallof a well conduit, a setting tool connected to said well device, saidtool including a member attached to the well device to rotate therewith,first means on the member engageable with threads on said member andfirst said normally retracted means, secondmeans on the member swivellyconnected to said first means, friction drag means engageable with thewall of the well conduit and connected tosaid second means, andcoengaging threads on said member and second means for feeding saidsecond means and first means longitudinally in a direction to exert aforce on said normally retracted means expanding said normally retractedmeans outwardly upon rotation of said member.

6. In well apparatus: a well device having normally retracted meansadapted to be expanded laterallyoutward into engagement with the wall ofa well conduit, a setting tool connected to said well device, said toolincluding a member attached to the well device to rotate therewith,first means on the member engageable with said normally retracted means,second means on the member swivelly connected to said first means,friction drag means engageable with the wall of the well conduit andconnected to said second means, and axial cam' means interconnectingsaid member and second means for feeding said second means and nally ina direction to exert a force on said normally retracted means expandingsaid normally retracted means outwardly during rotation of said member.

7. In well apparatus: a well device having normally retracted meansadapted to be expanded laterally outward into engagement with the wallof a well conduit, a setting tool connected to said well device, saidtool includ ing a member attached to the well device, first means on themember engageable with said normally retracted means, second means onthe member swivelly connected to said first means, friction drag meansengageable with the wall of the well conduit, a lost motion connectionbetween said friction drag means and secondmeans to resist rotation ofsaid second means in the well conduit, and coengaging threads on saidmember and second means for feeding said second means and first meanslongitudinallyin a direction to exert a force on said normally retractedmeans expanding said normally retracted means outwardly upon rotation ofsaid member.

8. In well apparatus: a well device having normally retracted meansadapted to be expanded laterally outward into engagement with the wallof a well conduit, a setting tool connected to said well device, saidtool including a member attached to the well device, first means on themember engageable with said 'nonnally retracted means, second means onthe member swivelly connected to said first means, friction drag meansengageable with the wall of the well conduit, a lost motion connectionbetween said friction drag means and second means to resist rotation ofsaid second means in the well conduit, and axial cam meansinterconnecting said member and second means for feeding said secondmeans and first means longitudinally to exert a force on said normallyretracted means expanding said normally retracted means outwardly uponrotation of said member. 1

9. In a setting tool for subsurface well apparatus: a

member adapted to be connected to a running-in string for operation in awell bore, first means movable longitudinally on the member, secondmeans on the members swivelly connected to said first means, frictiondrag means engageable with the wall of the well bore, a lost motionconnection between said friction drag means and said first meanscoupling said friction drag means and first means against relativerotation while permitting longitudinal movement of said first and secondmeans relative to said friction drag means, and coengaging means forfeeding said first and second means longitudinally upon rotation of saidmember.

first means longitudilor'ln wellapparatusz a well device having a bodyand normally-retracted means adapted to be expanded laterally outwardinto engagement with the wall of a well conduit;-a setting toolconnected to said body, said tool including a member threadedlyconnected to the body to rotate therewith; means on the memberengageable with said normally retracted means to exert a force thereonto expand saidnormally retracted means outwardly, said means beingremovable from said normally retracted means after expansion of saidnormally retracted means, friction'dragrneans engageable with the wallof the well conduit and connected to said expanding means to resistmovement of said expanding means in the well conduit, coengag ingthreads on said member and expanding means for feeding said expandingmeans longitudinally with respect to said body whereby said expandingmeans exerts a force on said normally retracted means to expand saidnormally retracted means outwardly during rotation of said memberrelative to said expanding means, said coengaging threads becomingdisengaged upon predetermined rotation of said member relative to saidexpanding means topermit non-rotary longitudinal movement of said memberrelative to said expanding means; and means on said member engageablewith'said expanding means, after said coengaging threads are disengaged,to remove said expanding means from said normally retracted means.- I 1,

'11. In well apparatus: a well device having normally retracted meansadapted to be expanded laterally outward into engagement with the wallof a well conduit, a setting tool connected to said well device, saidsetting tool including a member attached to the well device, means onthe member engageable with said normally retracted means to exert aforce thereon to expand said normally retracted means outwardly,frictiondrag means engageablewith the wall of the well conduit, a pinand slot lost motionconnection between said friction drag means andexpanding means coupling said friction drag means and expanding meansagainst relative rotation while permitting longitudinal 'movement ofsaid expanding means relative to said friction drag means, and axial;cam means interconnecting said member 'and expanding means for feedingsaid expanding means longitudinally in a direc- .tion to exert .a forceon said normally retracted means expanding said normally retracted meansoutwardly upon rotation of said member.

, 12. In a setting tool for subsurface well apparatus: a member adaptedto be connected to a running string for operation in a well bore, firstmeans movable longitudinally on the member, second means on the memberswivelly connected to said first means, friction drag means engageablewith the wall of the well bore, a pin and longitudinal slot connectionbetween said first means and friction drag means providing a lost motionconnection between said friction drag means and said first meanscoupling said friction drag means and first means against relativerotation While permitting longitudinal movement of said first and secondmeans relative to said friction drag means, and coengaging threads onsaid member and first means for feeding said first and second meanslongitudinally upon rotation of said member. 1

I References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

